A Fine Balance
by macisgate
Summary: Sam struggles to work her personal life around her job. Chapter 4 up! Complete!
1. Chapter 1

A Fine Balance Season: 1? Spoilers: None yet. I won't put anything major in if I do. Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate. But that's okay. They're doing a good job as it is!  
  
Thank you so much to all who reviewed my last stories! I couldn't stop grinning all day! This is my attempt at a longer story. Hope you all like it. It's probably been done before, but I had to get my own version out of my system =P Oh, and I changed my settings to accept unsigned reviews. I didn't realize it was doing that. Please, please, please review! Anyway! On with the story!  
  
Colonel O'Neill walked up to the first check-in point for another day of work. While signing his name and presenting his I.D. to the rather intimidated-looking airman, he gave a contented sigh. Sure it was a stressful job, but he knew what he was doing mattered. He was helping people. He was doing something others could never have dreamed about. He was making a difference. For the first time since his family had fallen apart, he felt content. Yes, today, he mused, was going to be a good day. Or so he thought.  
  
"Sam, don't walk away from me! We're going to talk about this!"  
  
*Here we go again* Jack thought. This was the third time in two weeks his 2IC had come to work arguing with her boyfriend Captain Michael Davis. Because Davis was in the payroll department, it wasn't against regulations for them to see each other. Their jobs were so apart, there was little problem for their feelings to get in the way of their work. Or at least that's the way it should have been. The Colonel shared a long-suffering gaze with the nameless airman and shook his head slightly as he bent back over the forms.  
  
"Look, Michael, there's nothing to talk about. This is our job! You can't expect me to say, 'I'm sorry, General, but I'm having breakfast with my boyfriend. The teams stranded off-world are just going to have to wait.' We had this talk before. Work has to come first!"  
  
"Look yourself Sam!" he said grabbing her arm. "All I want is to spend half an hour with you without the world threatening to collapse. And I'm getting really tired of being treated like our relationship doesn't matter." Davis squeezed her arm even tighter and leered over her.  
  
Jack frowned. He wondered if he should intervene. Obviously, they didn't realize they had an audience, but he did not like how his Captain was being treated.  
  
"Of course our relationship matters! You don't know how hard it is for me to find the time I do to spend with you. I mean, everyday, the world's safety is in our hands. I'm on missions; I have lab projects to complete; I have reports to hand in! This isn't exactly a 9 to 5 job here. Look, I've got to go fix the gate so our teams can get back. How about we meet for supper?"  
  
*Phew. Things seem to be cooling down. I'd better get to the next checkpoint before she realizes I was listening.* Jack moved on letting the lovebirds finish up their quarrel. Again he wondered if he should say something to her. He didn't want her personal life getting in the way of work. But then, if he hadn't witnessed their fights, he would never have known anything was amiss. Carter was always dedicated to her job. He didn't want her to think he was reprimanding her. He was just concerned. Yes, he would keep quiet for now. Jack headed for his office to get some papers for the General then headed to the Control room.  
  
"General, what seems to be the problem?" he said, handing Hammond some overdue reports.  
  
"Well, for some reason, we can't establish a wormhole. We have two teams that are late in returning, so we are assuming they can't establish a wormhole from their side as well. I've already notified Captain Carter. She should be here any minute."  
  
At those words, a calm, collected Captain Carter rushed into the Control room.  
  
"What seems to be the problem, sir?"  
  
"We can't establish a wormhole, and we're assuming the off-world teams can't establish one with us as they're overdue."  
  
Sam sat down at one of the computers and flew her fingers over the keys.  
  
"There you go, sir. The memory buffers just needed purging."  
  
*Nope, definitely not interfering with her work.*  
  
The general gave a relieved sigh. "If this is going to be a regular occurrence, please show the other gate technicians how to do that. I don't want to be caught off guard like that again."  
  
"Yes sir. Right away sir." she replied calmly.  
  
A little too calmly if you asked him.  
  
Well, I'm going to continue this today, but I wanted to see what you thought =) Worth continuing? Please review! Oh, and sorry if some of the technical stuff is inaccurate. Not my specialty =) 


	2. Chapter 2

A Fine Balance- Chapter 2  
  
"All right, SG1, you have a go," General Hammond called from the Control room.  
  
Jack turned around and waved as his team started up the ramp and through the wormhole that would take them to P3X-589. It was a very simple mission. Go to P3X-589 and bring back some soil samples. The problem was that the mission had been assigned just that day. He knew Carter had made reconciliation with Davis based on being free for dinner that night. Plus, their mission was supposed to last a couple days. He could just imagine the fight he would witness that morning. Poor Sam. She didn't deserve that every time she was just doing her job.  
  
"Okay, campers, let's get walking. Those soil samples aren't going to come to us." Indeed, it would be a lengthy walk through the desert area before they came to the ever-present rocks and trees.  
  
Sam Carter walked silently beside Daniel. Knots were beginning to twist her stomach. *This is not good! This is so not good! He's going to be so angry!* she repeated over and over to herself. *What am I going to do?*  
  
"Sam, are you okay? You look a million miles away," Daniel said, glancing at his friend with concerned eyes.  
  
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just tired I guess." That was all she said before her eyes glazed back over again. She remained like that the entire four hours it took them to find the oasis.  
  
Jack glanced carefully at Sam as they set up camp for the evening. She did not look good. Her silence during the walk had totally freaked him out. Not only that, but she had said absolutely nothing against having to set up camp early or about wanting to get started collecting samples. That was just not like her.  
  
"Hey, Daniel, Teal'C. You guys finish setting up the tents and start a fire. Carter and I will fill the canteens." Daniel and Teal'C shared grateful looks. The Colonel and Captain had been developing a strong friendship over the past few months. Maybe he could help her.  
  
"So Carter," Jack began as they knelt beside the river. Counseling damsels in distress was so not his specialty. He would rather be facing an army of Jaffa. But this was his friend, his teammate, his 2IC. He had to try.  
  
"Sorry this mission ruins your dinner plans." *Oh great. I wasn't supposed to know about that! Way to go, Jack.* Carter's eyes started welling with tears.  
  
"So what, does everyone know?" A pause. "Sir, I'm really sorry. I promise I'll do better about keeping my personal life out of work. I'll talk to Michael. It won't happen again, Sir," she said, swiping angrily at her eyes for betraying her.  
  
"No, Carter, you." Jack began as he placed his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Sam hissed, and Jack raised her sleeve to reveal dark bruises. Some not new enough to be caused just by today's spat. How he wished he had the young captain with him now.  
  
Jack fought to control his anger as he slowly caressed her arm. "Look, this isn't about your work performance. If anything it's been exemplary. I'm not talking to you as your CO; I'm talking to you as your friend."  
  
Carter was crying in earnest now, his concern breaking her defenses.  
  
"It's just, it wasn't like this at first, you know?"  
  
"I know," he said rubbing her back with slow circles.  
  
"I mean, he was really nice. And I thought since we both knew about the stargate, it would make the relationship easier, that he would understand the gravity of my work. I don't know. Maybe it's because he doesn't have to work the same hours I do. The past few weeks it's just been getting worse and worse. It seems like I never give him enough time. He's going to be so angry when we get back. I don't know what I'm going to do."  
  
"No, Sam, no. Look, you can't let this go any farther. You don't deserve being treated like this." Sam shifted her eyes to stare mindlessly at the ground.  
  
"No, look at me, Sam." Jack leaned into her field of vision and wiped at her tears with his hand.  
  
"You can't help the hours you have to work. You bust your butt for this planet, and you've saved our team's lives more times than I can count. If Davis can't appreciate that, then you're better off without him. You deserve better."  
  
"I just wanted it to be different. I wanted it to work."  
  
"I know, but you can't keep going on like this. We're worried about you. We want you to be happy. Just please promise me that once we get back, you'll break it off with him." 


	3. Chapter 3

A Fine Balance- Chapter 3  
  
SG1 finished their post-mission check-ups with Dr. Frasier, showered, and completed their debriefing with General Hammond. As Sam reached her office, she knew what she had to do. She picked up her phone.  
  
"Hi, I need to speak with Captain Michael Davis in payroll."  
  
"One moment please."  
  
Jack froze outside Sam's door. She was going to talk to Davis, and he didn't want to interrupt, so he waited outside.  
  
"Hey Michael. No, I just got back. General Hammond insisted. Look, can we stop arguing for one minute. We need to talk. Can you come down to my office?. Just come down here, okay?"  
  
Jack made a beeline for the nearest bathroom. He didn't want Davis to know he was there, but he didn't want to be too far away either.  
  
"Sam," Davis stood in the doorway.  
  
Sam took a deep breath. Soon it would be over. She just had to remain calm and levelheaded. After spending two days away from Michael, she had begun to realize just how much she had changed, and she didn't like those changes. The Colonel was right. She had to end this now.  
  
"Michael, we need to talk about our relationship."  
  
"We wouldn't need to talk about our relationship if you would just stop putting your work ahead of us."  
  
"Well, I'm afraid that can never happen because what I do here is more important than our relationship. The SGC has to come first. The whole world's safety relies on what we do here. We can't place our comfort above the security of 6 billion others. I can't be in a relationship with you and do my job at the same time."  
  
Davis grabbed her arm and pulled her close.  
  
"So what, are you trying to break up with me?!"  
  
"That's exactly what she's doing."  
  
Davis glanced angrily at the strong hand that landed on his shoulder. Shots of pain ran down his arm before he finally let go of Sam.  
  
"That's better. Now, if you ever come near Captain Carter again, I will personally have you transferred to the Antarctic faster than you can say 'Do these mittens match my parka?' Am I making myself clear?!" 


	4. Chapter 4

A Fine Balance- Chapter 4  
  
"Sorry about your eye, sir. I can't believe he actually hit a superior officer like that."  
  
Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'C had taken residence of the abandoned commissary, Jack holding a bag of frozen peas to his left eye.  
  
"Yeah well, I'm just sorry Hammond couldn't find an empty post in the Antarctic. But I guess the North Pole will do."  
  
The team laughed. Indeed, after Hammond had finished questioning the Colonel and Captain Davis in the infirmary and later in his office, he was more than happy to ship Davis off to a research facility where he would be a lot less trouble. At first, he had wanted to have Davis court-martialed, but Jack knew he and Carter would not want to go through the whole court room fiasco. Plus, thinking of Davis freezing his butt off in an igloo was much more satisfying!  
  
"So, do you think we'll hear any more from Davis?"  
  
"I do not believe so, Daniel Jackson. Captain Davis's cries of repentance penetrated my quarters. I do not believe he will be returning anytime in the near future."  
  
"Yeah, well even if he does, I'll be ready for him. I can't believe I let it go so far. Thanks for being there for me, guys. I don't think I could have done it without you. Especially you, Colonel." Sam placed a warm hand on his arm.  
  
"How's the eye now?"  
  
"Still a little swollen, but nothing I can't handle."  
  
"Well, I've got to go translate some tablets SG-7 brought back yesterday before I turn in. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Daniel said as he stood up from their table.  
  
"Night, Daniel."  
  
"Night."  
  
"I, too, must leave to begin my state of kelnoreem. Have a restful sleep O'Neill, Captain Carter."  
  
"Yeah, see you later, Teal'C."  
  
"Night, Teal'C."  
  
"So, Carter, you going to be all right now that Davis is gone?"  
  
"Yes, sir. And I meant what I said. I couldn't have done it without you."  
  
"Ah, don't mention it. We look after our own. I look after you; you look after me. I'll always have your back."  
  
They sat in silence for a few moments.  
  
Sam laughed, "I don't think I'll ever forget the look on Michael's face when he left General Hammond's office to pack his cold-weather gear! I thought he was going to cry!"  
  
"Yeah, well I was with Hammond, and I can tell you the guy pretty near wet himself by the time Hammond was done with him. I've already got my friend in surveillance making a copy for me. (sigh) Absolutely priceless!"  
  
"Well, I'd better turn in, sir. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Actually, Hammond's given us a week of downtime. Apparently he thinks showing potential allies my black eye will scare them off. Hey, Teal'C and Daniel and I were going to get together in the park for a throw-together game of hockey. You want to come?"  
  
*Please, please, please say yes! Don't stay in your lab. Don't stay in your lab!*  
  
"Yeah, that sounds nice. I'll see you then. Good night, sir."  
  
Jack gave a relieved sigh. He didn't know why it mattered so much that she come.  
  
*Must just be feeling a little protective still. Yeah, that's all.*  
  
As he watched her retreating form, Jack knew that wasn't the right answer, but that was all he let his mind believe while his heart whispered otherwise.  
  
The End.  
  
So what did you all think?! Thanks so much for all the reviews! Fall Break is over now, so it's back to the books =( Oh well, it's been fun. Hope you all enjoyed my story. Much love!  
  
macisgate 


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